Ultrasound #6 . . . YES!!!

I got the great news today that I am finally ready for the retrieval!!!!  :)  You cannot imagine how happy I was to hear Dr. Lee say those words. 

He said that my uterine lining looked "perfect" in terms of the thickness it should be at this stage of my cycle, and I think I have between 15 and 17 follicles.  I can't tell you how proud I am of my body for working so well and producing so many follicles (with eggs!!!) 

I just got a call from the IVF Procedure Coordinator at OHSU.  She gave me all sorts of instructions to get ready for Sunday.  Tonight at precisely 7:30pm, we will do the Ovidrel injection and no others until after the retrieval.  Tomorrow I get an injection-free day (yahoo!), which you can be sure I will enjoy immensely.  I'm sleeping in!  :)

Michael and I (and Lindsey who is coming up from Albany) will check-in at 7am on Sunday and our retrieval will begin at 7:30am (36 hours after the Ovidrel injection).  I think the drug works to put the finishing maturation touches on the follicles and eggs so they are at the best possible stage on Sunday.

Michael will give his donation (we have frozen semen being stored there, but fresh is best) and then will be able to be with me during the retrieval procedure when I will be happily out of it on Valium.  I'm going to ask them to please give me as much as possible.  :)  Lindsey can't be in the room with us, but will be waiting out front and I know I will feel so much better just knowing she is out there. 

Afterward, we will find out how many eggs they retrieved, but not their quality.  By Monday we will know more details and the embryos will be transferred into my womb either Wednesday or Friday, depending on how they grow.  If they seem to really like it in the culture, they'll stay there until Friday--if they don't seem to be doing as well as they could be doing, they'll be transferred into my body earlier, so they can find cozy spots in my womb and settle in.

I am amazed that we have made it this far (honestly), since there are so many variables that have to be lined up just right in order to reach this point--just as with a natural pregnancy.  I am excited and thinking of my future babies and talking to them.  Michael is excited too and so glad we are on to the next step of this adventure. 

Thank you all so much for your good thoughts and prayers--I know they have helped!

<3